Children 
Families 
Weddings
Charleston family + wedding photographer 2014 Review Part Two
Posted on January 15, 2015
January for portrait photographers is like summer for teachers.
Preparations, desk work and continuing education are always a priority, but there’s also a little time to creatively meander, and it’s fabulous. Here’s to growth through downtime!
My goal this month is to dust off my film cameras- I don’t think I turned them on my children even once last year.
Dreary days are perfect for moody Holga and twin lens reflex images.
Meanwhile, here’s another collection of unpublished 2014 portraits. Enjoy!
Leave a Comment
Charleston family + wedding photographer – 2014 in review
Posted on January 6, 2015
I get nervous before every shoot.
We all do.
It’s a great thing-it keeps us on our toes. Packing lists to triple-check, meeting someone new, and the generalized anxiety of our responsibility to you and your family. It’s never something we take lightly, going into it.
Yet when I return from a wedding or family session, my husband will joke,
“Let me guess. They were the nicest and most interesting group you’ve ever met. They were ‘totally precious and you just adored them all’, right?”
Yep. That’s how it always works.
Your hugs, expressions, inside jokes, even the way you squabble. Each group has a unique fingerprint.
I can’t really explain it, but I think you are ALL the cat’s pajamas.
Some sessions and weddings have been blogged already, and a few weddings are still pending publication elsewhere, but here’s Part One one of a sampling of my 2014 work that I haven’t yet shared:
Leave a Comment
2 Comments so far
Folly beach family photos
Posted on September 10, 2014
I met up with adorable Anna and Ian against this year at Folly Beach.
It’s funny. I always notice how much children have grown when I photograph them multiple times, but the difference between almost two year old twins and almost three year old twins is amazing. They were talking! And walking around like they owned the place! Crazy.
As we were making our way to the Morris Island Lighthouse overlook, we noticed smoke coming from the forested area between the lane and the beach.
Really, quite a lot of smoke. And popping noises.
Fascinating and a smidge frightening, but they were dressed and we were halfway there, so no turning back.
After we played on the beach for about 45 minutes, all the while hearing sirens and seeing the smoke steadily crawl the sky like a charcoal predator, we walked back and encountered the fire truck and and other bystanders.
Apparently someone drove onto the beach, started doing doughnuts in the sand, and flipped up onto the dunes, catching his engine on fire. This is why we can’t have nice things.
Thankfully, no one was hurt. But it’s a photo shoot none of us will soon forget.
Thanks, FBFD!
Leave a Comment
Magnolia Plantation wedding -Whitney and Andy
Posted on June 13, 2014
It’s no secret that I love a rainy wedding day.
Preferable not ALL day, and of course I wouldn’t wish less-than-perfect weather on anyone. But when it does happen, I find the resulting images to be lighthearted, intimate, and romantic.
Whitney and Andy planned their Charleston destination wedding from California, where Andy is in the Air Force.
There’s a certain joyful, calm, festive atmosphere that accompanies most destination weddings, and this one was no different.
No stress, just fun.
Whitney surprised Andy by renting this vintage car (Camaro? I think? Please let me know if you recognize it for sure!) for Andy to show up in and as their getaway car.
I love this shot. Check out the dapper groomsman’s expression.
Apple butter wedding favors. Ask any wedding photographer-we love our wedding swag! Especially at destination weddings, guests tend to leave favors behind, so we’re often offered goodies on the way out. I’ve made shrimp and grits from gift bags of local grits, brought home candy to the kiddos, sipped personalized wine, added to our collection of monogrammed cups and koozies (yes, we really do use them, and remember our favorite moment or image from your wedding every time.) I wasn’t sure what to use the apple butter for at first, but one day I stirred it into an apple crisp I was throwing together. Delicious!
I’m not sure how safe this was, but it was one of my all-time favorite shots of last year. I love the Mad Men vibe.
Leave a Comment
Ella Grace’s classic Charleston 10 year portraits
Posted on May 20, 2014
Ella Grace’s family has a history of having professional portraits made when a child turns 10. She is, I believe, the 3rd or 4th generation on her mother’s side to follow this lovely tradition.
I think it’s such a neat idea. I’ve written before about how the years between early teenhood and high school graduation tend to not be as well documented as the younger, chubbier, dimplier years. I love the idea of mindfully commemorating and celebrating a decade of laughter, running, playing-being *them*.
At ten, the jawline is starting to cast shadows, the elbows and anklebones are etched, the eyes are rolling, and the limbs attenuate. But the smiles are still those of our babies.
We started our Charleston portrait session near the Doc Street Theater, and worked our way down to the Waterfront Park.
Leave a Comment
1 Comment so far
The Chandlers-Charleston Family portraits
Posted on May 8, 2014
This family photo session reminded me of a moment from my own parenting history.
When my middle daughter was two months old, I gently placed her into my sweet two year old son’s lap and snapped a few images of them together. When I announced, “We’re done!” my son nodded with satisfaction, and tumbled the baby onto the grass. There was no malice involved. He was just a roughshod two year old boy who’d been told he didn’t have to hold something anymore.
Jane didn’t even cry, she just lay there, face smushed on the lawn, making this hilarious, confused “Meeeh. Meeehhhhhh” sound as I quickly scooped her up.
The classic posed images are lovely heirlooms, but the images that encapsulate the heartwarming chaos of this era in the Chandler’s life, when the older children are full of love and enthusiasm but age-appropriately short on self-control, are the ones that crack me up. Finger to the eyeball! Yank your brother’s ear! Cautionary parental hands entering the frame!
Love it all. Look at all these beautiful babies. Blessed.
The Chandlers’ home in Bell Hall Plantation is stunning. I love that it’s a gorgeous design that still looks and feels homey, and reflects the reality that toddlers live there. (See the crayon on the wall?)
Leave a Comment
Charleston beach portraits : Adams family
Posted on April 23, 2014
Proud grandparents are the best! I photographed Carolyn’s family when her sons, daughter in law, and granddaughter were in town to visit. It was important for her to have time with her first grandchild documented. I love the colors this family wore. Add green grass, a lovely sunset, and a beach ball, and we had the perfect photo session.
Leave a Comment
1 Comment so far
Charleston Loves a Bride
Posted on March 24, 2014
Leave a Comment
The King Family
Posted on March 20, 2014
I met up with the King crew over the holidays so that they could get a Charleston family portrait while everyone was in town.
We’d put a lot of thought into this session. Wardrobe opinions, plans to change to a beach location after we took some photos downtown, etc.
Approximately 11 minutes into our session, the sky opened up. Linda, who’s a television producer and knows about getting things done, said “sometimes you just need to punt.”
We didn’t get the golden beach frolic-y light we originally wanted, but we got to watch model trains go around a mountain. And hey-that’s a win!
Leave a Comment
Alex and Michael at the Creek Club, I’on
Posted on March 11, 2014
…
Alex and Michael are such a lovely couple. They moved to Australia (his homeland) just after the wedding.
Recently I delivered their wedding album to Alex’s parents’ house in Mount Pleasant, so that they could take take it along when they flew over to see the newlyweds.
As we were flipping through the pages, Alex’s Mom referred to them as “the kids.” I remember her saying the same thing at the wedding. I found it to be ridiculously charming. Even grown and married, Alex will always be their baby girl, and her husband is now one of their honorary “kids” too.
I must be doing something right, because I get to meet the best families.
A guest spotted a rainbow outside after the first dances
Leave a Comment
Older Posts »
WOW! These are all stunning! Love your work!
Several of those brought tears to my eyes. Brilliant work Sally.
One of my faves was how you captured the dog’s total adoration of his companion.